9.11.25
A majority of a panel of Brazil's Supreme Court justices voted Thursday to convict former President Jair Bolsonaro of attempting a coup to remain in power after his 2022 electoral defeat, a decision that could carry decades in prison and deepen the country's political divisions. Three of the five justices on the special panel ruled that Bolsonaro, 70, was guilty on multiple counts tied to efforts to cling to office following his loss to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Justice Cármen Lúcia cast her vote Thursday, siding with two colleagues in support of conviction. Her decision came one day after Justice Luiz Fux dissented, voting to acquit Bolsonaro of all charges. One justice has yet to deliver a vote. Once the panel reaches its conclusion, it will set Bolsonaro's sentence, which prosecutors say could amount to several decades behind bars. The case has also drawn international attention, particularly from Washington. U.S. President Donald Trump, an ally of Bolsonaro, recently linked a proposed 50 percent tariff on Brazilian imports to the legal proceedings, denouncing the trial as a "witch hunt." For now, Bolsonaro's conviction by a majority of the panel marks the most serious legal setback yet for the polarizing leader, raising questions not only about his political future but also about Brazil's ability to move past one of the most turbulent elections in its modern history.
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